The woman in the building
by Vote14Caskett
Summary: Brennan's apartment building is on fire, with her still in it! Will she make it out alive? Just a short two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

It was another week of murderers being caught, families receiving closure of a loved one taken from them too early and unkindly, and justice being served. Special Agent Seeley Booth took a long deserved coffee break in the tea room. It was late in the afternoon and almost time for him to head home, where he was particularly looking forward to taking a relaxing bath with his beer hat on and his music blaring.

'Hey Booth'

Booth looked towards the door where a man in his late thirties entered. He was of average height and height with a muscular build, jet black hair and moustache and brown eyes.

'Hey Bobby, what are you doing here? I thought this was the FBI building, not the local cop shop where doughnuts are being passed around?' Booth asked with a playful smirk.

'That was a lousy shot, Booth. Very stereotypical. Everyone thinks that's all we do. Don't expect me to save you any next time. You didn't complain then, did you?' He said with a pointed nod.

'They were horrible anyway. So what does bring you here?'

'Just had a meeting with Carolyn about an ongoing case. Man she's –'

'Bobby, we've got to go. Backup requested for a suspected arson attack on an apartment building,' Bobby's partner said as he rushed in.

'Alright, catcha later Booth. Where is it?' Bobby asked as they headed out.

'Elmsworth NW, it seems it started on the sixth floor, not sure where about yet.'

Booth's eyes popped out of his head, 'Wait, what did you say?'

Bobby's partner looked confused but answered the panic stricken Agent anyway.

'There's a fire at Elmsworth NW apartment building.'

Booth felt like his heart had been taken out of his chest. He knew Brennan had gone home early for once because she had worked twelve hours straight trying to solve a case, to which she was successful, before Cam had ordered her home.

'Bones,' he uttered a panicked whisper, 'We are going now.'

'We? Booth this isn't your jurisdiction!' Bobby told him

'NOW! My partner is in that building!'

Bobby seemed to have accepted this, 'Let's go!'

Even though the car ride only took ten minutes, it felt like a lifetime to Booth. Every minute that ticked by could be a minute too late for Brennan.

When the car pulled up in the ever so familiar street, all Booth could see were fire and ambulance trucks along with there flashing lights. Then Booth saw the fire. It was indeed on the sixth floor, the same floor Brennan lived on. Before the car had even stopped, Booth hopped out and ran for the entrance of the building.

'Sir you can't go in there!' A nearby policeman yelled out to him.

'I'm FBI, try and stop me!' Booth growled at him.

Booth didn't wait for a reply; he pushed passed everyone and ran into the burning building.

Brennan chucked her keys in the tray near the door, fuming that she had been sent home. Cam even went to great lengths to make sure she didn't take any paperwork home with her.

But by the time she sat down on her couch wondering what to do with herself, Brennan's eyelids began to droop, and before she could resist, she was fast asleep.

Hours later, Brennan started to stir. She looked up at the clock on her living room wall and realised she had been asleep for nearly two hours. Getting up to stretch, Brennan heard something that had her confused and curious. She heard screaming coming from everywhere, outside the building and inside. Looking out the window she knew what must have happened. Somewhere in the building was a fire, and by the sounds of the screams, it wasn't just a little one. Then out of no where the smell of smoke hit her full force, bringing on the assumption that it was close. Racing towards her front door, Brennan yanked it open. The heat was unimaginable, and the smoke made it hard for her to breathe or see very well.

Brennan ran around making sure all her neighbours were safely out. An old widowed lady lived in the last room at the end of the hallway. Brennan ran into her room, and found her hurriedly shoving all her worldly possessions into a small bag.

'Mrs. Hoover, you've got to go. There's a fire and it's coming fast!' Brennan yelled at her urgently.

'But my husbands-'

'I care about your life, Mrs. Hoover; I'm not going to let you risk it for possessions. You've got your memories and I'm sure your husband would've said the same thing. I'll push you out of here if I have to.'

Mrs Hoover nodded when she realised Brennan was right.

'You go, I've still got a few more rooms to check,' Brennan urged her.

'Please don't take too long, dear,' Mrs. Hoover pleaded.

'Go.'

While Mrs. Hoover made her way downstairs, Brennan checked other rooms, making sure everyone had made it out. After her check was complete, Brennan thought it best to get out quickly, the smoke was making her cough violently and her eyes stung so much her eyes started watering. Brennan headed directly for the exit, when she had to stop due to another violent coughing fit that had her gasping for air. It felt like her lungs were on fire. Finally her body couldn't take it anymore and as Brennan tried to greedily gather air for her lungs, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed in a heap on the floor, not far from where the fire was headed.

Booth ran like he'd never run before in his life. His muscles ached but he refused to admit defeat, instead he climbed the stairs two at a time. Booth stopped suddenly when he almost ran into someone, an old woman.

'Excuse me, do you know Dr. Brennan? Have you seen her?' Booth asked, now almost out of breath.

'Yes, she went to check if everyone else had made it out.' The woman responded.

'Thank-you. Now get yourself to safety.'

'Bring her back, please. She's a great woman.'

Booth nodded and continued running up the stairs to the sixth floor. After what seemed like hours, Booth finally reached his destination. The smoke hit him with such force, Booth had to pull out his handkerchief from his pocket and put it over his mouth to prevent smoke inhalation. Booth ran in the direction of Brennan's room, when he noticed a dark figure lying face down in the hallway, and getting a little closer, Booth realised it was Brennan.

'Bones!' He yelled, running towards her side, 'Bones! Can you hear me? Wake up!' Booth yelled, crouching down beside her and gently tapping her cheek, with no answer.

Placing his handkerchief over Brennan's mouth, Booth quickly felt for a pulse, which he found was very faint, before he picked her up and ran to the exit, back down the stairs.

Booth finally made it out of the burning building carrying Brennan in his arms.

'I need some help over here!' Booth yelled out to the paramedics, who rushed over with a stretcher, which Booth carefully placed her on.

'What's wrong with her? Is she going to be ok?' Booth asked in one breath, very concerned for his partner.

'Sir, you're going to have to step back, calm down and let us do our job.' The paramedic warned, to which Booth complied, for Brennan's sake. She looked so small and fragile lying there, covered in black smudge marks, her life hanging by a thread.

**A/N: Ok, let me know what you think guys. Any compliments and criticism are more than welcome (hopefully more compliments than criticism lol) R & R please! Virtual cookies for those who do! =p**


	2. Chapter 2

'Where's Temperance Brennan? What's her condition?' Booth demanded of the receptionist as soon as he got to the hospital. The paramedics had refused him a spot in the ambulance, and no amount of flashing his badge or yelling out threats to arrest them would convince or scare them.

'Are you family, Sir?'

No, but-'

'Then I'm sorry, Sir, but I can't divulge any information unless you are immediate family'.

'I'm her fiancé!' Booth lied, 'Does that count as family to you?'

'Yes, of course. She's in a stable but critical condition. She has severe lung trauma due to smoke inhalation. When she was brought in she was complaining of a headache and was vomiting, which indicates she has carbon monoxide poisoning. She is resting in room 208, if you would like to go see her.'

Without saying a word, Booth stalked off towards room 208. He was still reeling from the fact that he could have lost her today, from a fire of all things. With all the dangers that faced them out in the field chasing after criminals, he thought at home she would at least be safe. He had also realised the suppressed feelings he had secretly had for his partner would have to come out in the open. He was tired of dancing around their feelings for one another, and he knew she had feelings for him too. She would just have to stop being so afraid and trust him that he wouldn't ever leave her.

Booth opened the door to room 208, and expected to find Bones in bed, either resting like the receptionist had said, or scaring the nurses demanding she be released immediately. Thinking the nurse had told him the wrong room number, he was about to turn around and give the receptionist a taste of what Special Agent Seeley Booth could be like, when he heard the unmistakable sounds of someone vomiting and crying. Curiously, he opened the bathroom door slowly, only to find Bones, hunched over the toilet bowl. Without so much as hesitating, Booth raced over to her, pulled her hair back and whispered words of comfort to her, while rubbing her back reassuringly.

'Sorry Booth,' Bones apologised hoarsely, 'It is irrational for me to be so upset when I'm only experiencing the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.' She said as she tried to erase all signs she had been crying.

'Temperance, don't be silly. It is perfectly understandable for you cry after what you have been through. Now, let's get you back to your bed so you can rest. Can you walk?'

'Well I got to the bathroom by myself, didn't I?' She answered back, almost sounding like her usual self.

'Just humour me, Bones. Let me help you out'.

Bones was too tired to argue so she allowed Booth to hold her arm to steady her as she walked back to her bed.

'What happened today, Booth? All I remember is there was a fire in my building and the rest is blank' She asked, once she was able to make herself comfortable in the hospital bed.

'When I found out you were in that building with the fire, I went in to find you. I ran into an older lady who said you were still on your way down, checking people's apartments as you were going down, making sure everyone had got out. I found you lying on the ground unconscious, so I picked you up and carried you out to the ambulance. I thought I was too late and wouldn't get to tell you…' Booth paused; wandering if now was the best time to get into this conversation.

'Tell me what, Booth?'

Booth sighed heavily and blurted out, 'To tell you I love you, Bones.' He waited to see the look on her face before he continued. She had her mouth hanging wide open, eyes that looked like they were about to pop out of her head, and he could see fear in them.  
'I've always loved you, Bones. I drew that line thinking it would help keep you safe, but I realised that no matter where we go or what we do, there is danger everywhere, and drawing a line to protect the both of us isn't doing anything but keeping us apart. I know you're scared, and you're going to try to rationalise why we shouldn't be together, but I know you feel something too. You just have to trust me, trust us. I'm just as scared as you are, but we can do this, Bones, I know we can.'

Bones shook her head, her eyes filled with unshed tears, 'No, Booth. I'm not what you want. You say you love me now, but once you realise that I'm not going to change my mind about wanting kids or marriage, you're not going to want me anymore. I'm too cold and rational and socially awkward, we don't belong together. You're heart, and I'm brain, they don't mix. And once you figure that out, your going to abandon me, just like everyone else does.'

'Bones, don't you get it? I have you all figured out, but it's you who doesn't realise the woman you've become. You've grown into the most amazing woman since I've met you, and you think more with your heart than you know. You have such a generous heart, Bones, and I don't care if you don't want marriage or kids, I have Parker, and as long as I get to be with you that's all I want. I would never abandon you, Bones.' He said seriously, looking her in the eyes.

'What about our partnership, Booth? The bureau won't allow us to be together, and even if they did, I don't want to ruin what we have if it doesn't work out. I don't want to lose you.' Bones said quietly, as a tear slid slowly down her cheek.

Instead of convincing her with words, Booth decided to risk everything he had. He slowly leaned in and lightly pressed his lips to hers. When she didn't pull back, Booth put all his feelings for her into that kiss, giving her the opportunity to pull back if she wished. She tasted just like he remembered when they kissed under the mistletoe.

Finally, he pulled back, 'Just give us a chance, Bones, that's all I'm asking.'

Bones nodded, still in a daze from the kiss Booth had given her.

'Thank you, Bones. Lets just take this one step at a time, ok? Now I should let you get some sleep, we'll talk more about this tomorrow, ok? You've been through a lot today and you should rest.' Booth leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

'Booth?' Bones called out, just as he was about to leave her room, 'Could you maybe stay with me tonight?'

Booth looked surprised by her request but nodded without hesitation, 'Of course, Bones.'

As Booth slid under the sheets with her, Bones turned onto her side and Booth automatically placed his arm around her waist, holding her closely.

'I love you Bones.'

'I love you too, Booth.' She whispered as she fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved.

**A/N: Ok, so I know it's been absolutely AGES since I've updated, but here it is. I'm sorry to say this is how it ends. When I started this story I had all these ideas, but never got around to writing them into more chapters. I recently got inspired by one of my readers, ****Caren67****, to finish this story, and we had all these ideas on how this story could go, but I have to end it here as I have no time to extend this story any further. Thank you all for reading and let me know how you liked this chapter. **


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